A Hawaii Kai woman was convicted Monday of first-degree theft and two counts of money laundering after she was accused of stealing more than $600,000 from an 85-year-old woman, according to prosecutors.

While many of those cases involve physical abuse, financial abuse is on the rise.

"I think one of the most important things is the elders are very trusting," said Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro. "They trust. They grew up in a generation where you trusted people. They view people as being basically good and, in our time, that's not necessarily so. People will take advantage of the elderly."

The losses are huge. A 2009 study by MetLife showed seniors lost $2.6 billion to financial abuse nationwide.

The Honolulu city prosecutor's office is aggressively attacking elder abuse. Its Elder Abuse Justice Unit has doubled in size and is working with the finance industry to stop abuse in its tracks.

"We just recently had a case where a caretaker sold an elderly woman's home and took the proceeds from the house and put it in her and her children's account," said Kaneshiro.

That woman, Susan Chin, was found guilty last month of theft and money laundering. That case alone involved more than $600,000.

A bill sitting on the governor's desk right now would get things rolling faster.

"It's important, in a sense. It will bring to the attention of law enforcement suspected crimes, so we can investigate the case sooner. We can get involved sooner. We can get involved with banks sooner and protect the assets. It's an important step," said Kaneshiro.

It's a mission Kaneshiro takes personally.

"When I was prosecuting attorney, before I spent a lot of time working. I didn't spend as much time as I should have, perhaps, with my parents and family because my job came first," said Kaneshiro. "But, when I left office, I spent a lot of time with them taking care of them. In doing so, I saw what the elderly had to go through."

The abusers may not always be who you think. Kaneshiro says they found 64 percent of the abusers were family members.

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The Golden Years ... At a time when seniors are supposed to be enjoying their lives...more and more are finding themselves the victims of elderly abuse. The Honolulu Prosecutor has made elderly abuse a top priority---and he's taking it personally. Elder abuse cases are EXPLODING! The number of cases are up a whopping 294- percent in the last 5-years.. While many of those cases involve PHYSICAL ABUSE.... Financial abuse is on the rise. 4:03-4;21-keith kaneshiro I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THE ELDERS ARE VERY TRUSTING. THEY TRUST. THEY GREW UP IN A GENERATIO WHERE YOU TRUSTED PEOPLE. THEY VIEW PEOPLE AS BEING BASICALLY GOOD AND IN OUR TIME THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY SO PEPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAE OF THE ELDERLY. And the losses are HUGE: a 2009 study by METLIFE showed nationwide....seniors lost 2. 6 BILLION DOLLARS to financial abuse. The Honolulu city prosecutors office is aggressively attacking Elder Abuse.... It's elder abuse justice unit has DOUBLED in size...and is working with the finance industry to stop abuse in its tracks: 6:33-6;43 WE JUST RECENTLY HAD A CASE WHERE A CARETAKER SOLD AN ELDERLY WOMAN'S HOME AND TOOK THE PROCEEDS FROM THE HOUSE AD PUT IT INTO HER AN HER CHILDREN'S ACCOUNT That woman--susan Chin was found guilty last month of theft and money laundering. That case alone involved more than 600- thousand dollars A bill sitting on the governors desk RIGHT NOW-- would get things rolling faster. Instead of reporting suspected financial abuse to the department of human services....it mandates Financial institutions to CALL POLICE. 14:32-14;47 ITS IMPORTANT IN A SENSE IT WILL BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF LAW ENFORCEMEN T SUSPECTED CRIMES, SO WE CAN INVESTIGATE THE CASE SOONER, WE CAN GET INVOLVED SOONER, WE CAN GET INVOLVED WITH BANKS SOONER AND PROTECT THE ASSETS :47 ITS AN IMPORTANT STEP :49 a mission kaneshiro takes personally. . 21:55-22:17 WHEN I WAS PROSECUTING ATTORNEY BEFORE I SPENT ALOT OF TIME WORKING I DIDNT SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS I SHOULD HAVE PERHAPS WITH MY PARENTS AND FAMILY CUZ MY JOB CAME FIRST. BUT WHEN I LEFT OFFICE I SPENT ALOT OF TIME WITH THEM TAKING CARE OF THEM IN DOING SO I SAW WHAT THE ELDERLY HAD TO GO THROUGH. The abusers may not always be who you think: Kaneshiro says they found 64 percent of the abusers were family members. For

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